Gyroscopic steering-gear.



F. M. LEAVITT. GYEoscoPIo STEERING GEAR.

APPLIOATION FILED APB.. 30.1907.

Patented June 22,1909.

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Figi

WITNESSES:

P. M. LEAVITT.

GYROSGOPIG STEERING GEAR.- APPLIOATION FILED AIB.30.1907.

925,709. Patented June 22,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. 5.-

QE frm/6 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR FRANK M. IEAVITT,

, To all rwhom it may concern:

1s .IUN1TED-srATEs PATENT oEErcE;

j YRos'coPic STEERING-GEAR. i

Nofeaavoe.

Specification of L/gtters Patent.'

Patented June 22, 1909.

Application led April 3 0, 1907. Serial No. 371,118. 2

Be it -known that I, FRANKQM. LEAvrrT, a citizen of the United States, residing 'in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Gyroscopic Steering-Gear, o which the following is a specificaton. A

Thls invention relates to gyroscoplc steering ear for automobile torpedoes or the like.

T \e invention relates particularly to the means for carrying a housing for the gyrosco e'to facilitate its removal from the hull of t e torpedo. To this end thehull is constructed with a box or casing fixed within it forming a chamber, the interior of which communicates through an opening with the exterior of the hull; the gyroscope is mounted in a supporting frame which fits withinsuch box' or casing; a hand-hole plate is provided.y

for closing the said opening, Iand in connection therewith is a means for tightening the engagement between the gyroscope support and the inclosing box.

Figure lof the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of the assembled parts in a plane transverse to the axis of the tor edo,

showing the gyroscope principally in e eva-I tion.y Fig. 2 is a vertical/longltudlnal sec' tion showing the permanent box or casing with,the gyroscope removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the gyroscope support removed from the inclosing box' or casin Fig. 4 is a similar section ofthe hand-ho e cover andV tightening device. Fig? 5 is an inverted plan of the part shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, let A designate a part of the hull or shell of the automobile torpedo, submarine boat, or other vessel. Thls hull is formed with an opening in one side, for example, the under slde as shown, around which opening is placed a ring B; Within the o en1ng thus formed is inserted an inclosing ox or casing C shown best in Fig. 2. j This casing thus projects within the body of, the torpedo, and 1s`or may be imperv forate and connected with the` hull in a water-tight manner, so as to vserve as a meansl for excluding water from the air spaces within the hull. The lower part of this casing C is formed as an annular frame C which fits within the ring B and is united to it by screws a a. The connection thus made is designed as a substantially permanent connechole cover in place.

. .Y tion, the casing C not being intended to be removed` in the ordinary use of the torpedo. The annular portion C is of larger diameter than the body of the casing C, thereby forming a ledge or shoulder b. The annular ortion C has within it an intermittent ri or ribs c c. l The gyroscope D is mounted in a suitable support E, as shown in Fig. 3. Thevgyroscope may be of any known or suitable construction; as shown it comprisesa fly-wheel d, an inner ring e and an outer rino the latter pivoted on a Vertical axis in tlie support E. fThe support E is essentially cup-shaped, being shown, however, as cut away at g g on opposite sides for lightness andaccessibility. Its closed top has a downward projection h for receiving the upper pivot of the ring f, the corresponding pivotal support h of the lower pivot being formed as a central hub on a detachable head `or `spider F which is fastened in place by screws t i, engaging lugs in the support E. The lower part of the support is formed as an annular portion E laving a flange j, the neck above this flange being or NEW YORK/, N. Y., AsslIGNon To E. w: BLIss coMPANx'oEBRooKLYN, NEW Yoan, A ooRPoRA'rIoN or WEST VIReINIA. Y

adapted to fit within the lower portion .7c of ing shown thus assembled in Fig. 1. To insure the proper location of the support E within the casing C, the support is formed with a projection Z (Fig. 1) which enters a recess m (Figs. 2 and 5) in the portion'k of the casing. For closing the opening into the casing C hand-hole cover G is provided which=-fits within the annular portion C- and has ribs n 'a which engage the ribs c c after the manner/of a bayonet joint, and thereby hold the hand- To put it into lace it is turned sufliciently' to bring its ri s 'n into coincidence with the spaces between the ribs c c, so that the respective ribs can pass each other as the cover is lifted into place it is then turned sufficiently to bring the lrespective ribs into coincidence. f The cover G might be constructed to directly engage and uphold the support E but it is preferable to provide. separate means for this purpose wher by the parts maybe tightened after.Q

tight-Joint therewith; and `means`are prowardly; the support vided for forcing this cover H u into tight connection with the bottom of t e support. This tightening means consists prefera y of a screw connection between the cover H and the cover G. This screw connection as ing up the cover H so that its peripheral portion engages the support E and pushesit up firmly mto place. o facilitate the making of a ti ht joint the eripheral portion of the cover is preferabll;T grooved as shown as q'. To prevent accidental separation of the parts it isplreferable to swivel the plu I to the cover for which urpose the p ug is formed with a neck whicii is entered by adivided disk r. It will be understood that the act of screwing up the plug I not only presses the covcr H upwardl but to an equal extent presses the cover downwardly, thereby tightening the connection between the ribs 'a and c and preventing accidental rotative dis placement of the cover G.

To remove the gyroscope it is only necessary to apply a key to the plug I, unscrewing it a turn,or two, sufficient to slacken the parts, then to turn the cver G sufficiently to clear the respective ribs, whereu on the covers G and H ma be remove downwill either come out with them by gravity, or may be drawn out subsequently. In replacing the parts it is impossible to wrongly connect them. The operations of removal and replacement are performed very quickly and conveniently.

What I claim 1s:-

1. The combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an opening, of a hollow casing fixed therein with 1ts interior chamber communicating with said opening, a gyroscope, and its support, adapted to enter said chamber, and a separate cover adapted to close said opening.

2. The combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an opening, of a hollow casing fixed therein with its interior chamber communicating with said opening, a gyroscope, a cup-shaped support therefor ittin into said chamber, means for fastening sai support in place and a separate cover for closin said opening.

3. he combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an openin a gyroscope, and a cup-shaped support t erefor ttmg into said openlng, with its open side coinciding therewith, means for fastening said support in place and a separable cover for..

closln said opening.

4. he combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an opening, a hollow casing fixed therein with its interior chamber communicating with said opening, a gyroscope and its support, adapted to enter said chamber, a separable hand-hole cover for closing said opening, and means for fastening said support in place.

5. The combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an opening, a casing fixed therein with its interior chamber communicating with said opening, a gyroscope,

. and its support adapted to enter said chamber, a hand-hole cover for closing said opening, a movable part for holding said support in lace, and a screw-connection between it an the hand-hole cover.

6. The combination with the shell or hull of atorpedo having an opening, a frame en circling said opening, a gyroscope and its support entering through said opening, a

cover closing said opening, and a screw reacting against said cover to press said support into place.

7. The combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an opening, a frame encircling said opening, a gyroscope and its support entering through said opening, a cover closing against the support, and ti htening means for pressing said cover to p ace reacting against said frame.

8. The combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an opening, a frame encircling said openin a gyrosco e support entering through sai opening an having an annular portion tting said frame, a cover closing said opening and a cover closing against the support to make a tight connection therewith.

9. The combination with the shell or hull of a torpedo havingan opening, a frame encircling said openin a gyroscope support entering throughsai openin and having an annular ortion itting said 'ame, a projection on t e one part and an engaging recess in the -other adapted to determine the position of the support, and means for fastening the su ort in lace.

10. e com ination with the shell or hull of a torpedo having an opening, a frame encircling said opening, a gyroscope and its support entering through said opening, a cover closing said opening having lugs engaging the encircling frame, a cover closing against the support, and a tightening screw engaging one cover and reactlng against the other.

In witnesswhereof,v I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. LEAVITT.

Witnesses:

C. S. SNIFFEN, B. W. STONE. 

